O
1 day ago
When the Emperor was Divine by Julie Otsuka
Was all right- quick read, interesting perspective, and some striking insights. But overall I didn’t feel any great connection with the characters or the situation.
How to do the A-Z author challenge
It made me
feel well-read 
"I read 26 novels from start to finish, from A-Z, and felt proud of myself for sticking to it!"
How I did it: About two-and-a-half years ago, I wrote in my journal that I could not find a currently-written novel that would hold my interest. I thought contemporary literature was in deplorable shape. When I found this goal on 43T, I thought, Well, it can't hurt to broaden my reading horizons.
I limited myself to reading novels published in the year 2000 or more recently, and I read them in alphabetical order (by author's last name). Having these three constraints really did broaden my reading horizons. I chose authors I would not normally have chosen. I ended up with a pretty balanced list between male and female authors. My three favorite books were:
- The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
- Three Junes by Julia Glass
- The Ambidextrist by Peter Rock
- Love and Other Impossible Pursuits by Ayelet Waldman
(Okay, so that's four favorites.) I hadn't read anything by any of these authors before, so I discovered them through doing this challenge, and I would gladly read another book by any of them.
My faith in the state of the novel was restored. I would definitely do this challenge again. And not only did I discover that really well-crafted novels are still being published, but also I gained a great sense of personal accomplishment by reading all 26 books clear to their very last word. (Too often I've been a fickle and nonmonogamous reader and tossed a book aside the moment my wandering eye thought another book looked better.)
As I was nearing the end, I allowed myself to read a couple of older novels that were published prior to the year 2000. I plan to do this challenge again, but I would include some poetry and some nonfiction, and definitely include some classics.
Lessons & tips: Have fun with it!
- Go to the bookstore and browse. When I was feeling flush, I'd go to a new book store. When I was feeling short on cash, I'd go to a used book store. I deliberately did not buy books ahead of where I was in the alphabet - the trip to a book store every few weeks was part of the fun.
- I looked at lists of literary prize winners on Powells.com for ideas of novels to look at when I went to the book store.
- Read steadily, every day. This challenge took me 25 months to complete, but that includes some time out to read a few other books in between some of these novels.
- I have my Rule of One Hundred Pages: I will stick with a book for 100 pages, and if I am just not into it by that point, I will choose another one. So there were a few in this challenge that didn't make the cut (a Q author, a V author...). I feel it is good to stick with a goal and see it through, but there's no point in becoming a martyr over your reading list. Reading's what you do for pleasure - so keep it fun.
Resources:
- Lists of literary prize winners (Pulitzer, National Book Award, Orange Prize, etc.). I used Powells.com, but these lists can be found other places as well.
- The "Staff Picks" bookshelf at one local shop
- Occasionally, a New York Times book review moved me toward choosing a particular book.
7 people found this helpful
Entries
'B' is for Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre
1 day ago
good except for the bits where bronte suddenly turns into a moralist/commentator and talks directly to the reader. it disrupts the flow a bit.
diosa Te amo, mas que ayer y menos que manana
D=Dud
3 days ago
A:Abbott Elizabeth, A History of Mistresses
B:Brockman Suzanne, Body Guard
C:Castle Jayne, Dark Light
D:Davidson Mary Janice, The Royal Pain – such a boring book so predictable!
E:Eagle Kathleen, This Time Forever
F:Ferrer Caridad, Adios to my old life
G:Goodman Jo, The Price of Desire
H:Higgins Kristan, Catch of the day
I:
J:
K:Kleypas Lisa, Seduce me at Sunrise
L:Litton Josie, Come back to me
M:MacInerney, Karen, On the Prowl
N:
O:
P:Phillips S. E., Natural Born Charmer
Q:
R:
S:Samuels Barbera, No place like home
T:
U:
V:
W:
X:
Y:
Z:
mark finally has broadband
F is for
3 days ago
Jack Finney , Invasion of the Body Snatchers and G is for Neil Gaiman , American Gods
Untitled
1 week ago
Adiga, Aravind—The White Tiger
Byatt, A.S. —Possession
Chandler, Raymond—The Long Goodbye
Dickens, Charles—The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Edwards, Kim—The Memory Keeper’s Daughter
Fitch, Janet—White Oleander
Gaiman, Neil—Neverwhere
Hoffman, Alice—Blackbird House
Ishiguro, Kazuo—The Unconsoled
Jacobs, Kate—Comfort Food
Kostova, Elizabeth—The Historian
Lamb, Wally—She’s Come Undone
McEwan, Ian—Saturday
Naipaul, V. S. —A House for Mr. Biswas
O’Brien, Tim—The Things They Carried
Pynchon, Thomas—The Crying of Lot 49
Quinn, Julia—Everything and the Moon
Roth, Philip—Everyman
Schlink, Bernhard—The Reader
Tyler, Anne—The Accidental Tourist
Updike, John—Rabbit Run
Vonnegut, Kurt—Breakfast of Champions
Waugh Evelyn—A Handful of Dust
(Xingjian, Gao – Soul Mountain)
(Xinran – Miss Chopsticks)
(Xiaolu Guo—Village of Stone)
Young, Liz—A Girl’s Best Friend
Zafón, Carlos Ruiz—The Shadow of the Wind
It was really hard to find authors for the X.
mark finally has broadband
I already know what F will be
3 weeks ago
but I’m going to wait til I catch up since i just started Next.
H
3 weeks ago
Haddix, Margaret Petersen – Takeoffs and Landings
good story, but next time I’d like something a little deeper.
Jassi75 will run into the spring soon
B like Beckett
3 weeks ago
A Agus, Milena: Die Frau im Mond (http://www.43things.com/entries/view/4007306)
B Beckett, Simon: Obsession (http://www.43things.com/entries/view/4091500)
C Cilley, Marla and Ely, Leanne: Body Clutter: Love your body, love yourself (http://www.43things.com/entries/view/4048908)
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S Schine, Cathleen: Eine Liebe in Manhattan (http://www.43things.com/entries/view/4068921)
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
→ See all 513 entries
Ask for advice: Get help from people who've accomplished this goal
 Austin
|
jeskah asks,
“Do you only count books started since starting this goal?”
— 21 months ago |
|
 United States
|
Allison Michelle asks,
“Do the books have to be read in alphabetical order?”
— 2 years ago |
|
